In Peter's Footsteps A Papal History Book

Could serve as a nice primer if you are looking for a brief history of islam over the ages. At a few places I felt that they are trying to push you into believing certain things. For example their claim that the radicalism in islam is due to the religion itself rather than socio economic factors.
Now that may be true, but it would have been better had they at the same time explained what goes inside the heads of fundamentals of other Faiths.
Time and again we see cruelty perpetrated by people of all Faiths. If we just compare the worst atrocities which people of different Faiths have done we will realize they all have demonstrated equal capacity to do bad.
When British landed on the shores of Tasmania, they used to hunt people for recreation.
Hitler was not a muslim.
Bengal famine due to british in India killed far more people than 1947 partition.
It's only when we compare fundamentalism in all religion that we get a proper understanding.
I also felt that the book downplays or doesn't explore the role of US in destabilizing other nations in depth.
However one of the authors is from centre for religious freedom, Washington. I have tremendous respect for such institutions for being flag bearers of secularism and freesom.
un commission on human rights.
US commission on International religious freedom.
Equal justice initiative.
To name some others I know.